Month: April 2021

AHA Coding Clinic on ICD-10-CM_PCS for First Quarter of 2021 Released

AHA Coding Clinic on ICD-10-CM/PCS for First Quarter of 2021 Released

Current issue includes most frequently asked questions about coding COVID-19. The American Hospital Association (AHA) central office is the official United States clearinghouse on medical coding for the proper use of the ICD-10-CM/PCS systems and Level I HCPCS (CPT-4 codes) for hospital providers – and certain Level II HCPCS codes for hospitals, physicians, and other health professionals. The […]
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Prior Authorization Burden Still High Despite COVID Struggles

Prior Authorization Burden Still High Despite COVID Struggles

Most physicians still faced a high prior authorization burden despite treating a surge of positive COVID-19 cases this winter, the American Medical Association (AMA) reports. In a survey of 1,000 practicing physicians between Nov. 23, 2020, and Dec. 14, 2020, AMA found that 85 percent of physicians described the burden associated with prior authorization as high […]
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Three Keys to Ease Provider Tension

Three Keys to Ease Provider Tension

Being a physician comes with certain baseline stressors. For most, the culprits are pretty familiar: patient care responsibilities, high debt loads that compel long working hours, system complexities, and mounting administrative chores. COVID-19 has added yet another layer to the burdens that already contribute to physician burnout. As an emergency physician, walking into work every […]
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CMS Proposes Medicare Payment Bump for Rehab, Psychiatric Facilities

CMS Proposes Medicare Payment Bump for Rehab, Psychiatric Facilities

  CMS has released the proposed rules for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System and the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Issued yesterday, the proposed FY 2022 IRF Prospective Payment System rule would increase Medicare payments by 1.8 percent, or $160 million, compared to the previous fiscal year. The […]
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Covid-19 Brought Little Relief from Prior Authorizations

Covid-19 Brought Little Relief from Prior Authorizations

Despite the strain placed on physicians by the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers continued to impose prior authorization requirements which delayed care and hurt some patients. According to a news release from the American Medical Association (AMA), a new survey showed that nearly 70 percent of the 1,000 respondents showed that health insurers had either reverted to prior authorization […]
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ICD-11 Is Coming, Prepare Now

ICD-11 Is Coming, Prepare Now

IFHIMA makes the case for ICD-11 adoption with latest whitepaper. As healthcare transformation progresses due to the digitization of data and advancements in medical science and technology, it is increasingly important that nations around the world begin planning for adoption of ICD-11. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) has a long and valued history of […]
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Physicians Collect More From Surprise Medical Bills in ED

Physicians Collect More From Surprise Medical Bills in ED

  Physicians in a hospital’s emergency department (ED) collected significantly more of the charged amount for likely surprise medical bills compared to other patient cases, a new study in Health Affairs reveals. In the event of a likely surprise medical bill, physicians collected 65 percent of the charged amount compared with just 52 percent for other cases. Researchers also […]
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Append Surgical Modifiers With Confidence

Append Surgical Modifiers With Confidence

Modifiers 79: Know how to differentiate modifiers 79, 78, and 58to ensure proper reimbursement for all procedures performed. Modifiers convey important information about a claim and can directly affect reimbursement. But choosing the most appropriate modifier can be confusing — especially when two or more modifiers have similar descriptors. Modifiers 58, 78, and 79 are all […]
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